Improvement in compounds for priming electric fuses



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

GEORGE M. MOWBRAY,' OF NORTH ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMPOUNDS FOR PRIMING ELECTRIC FUSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 128,241, dated June 25,1872.

I, GEORGE M. MOWBRAY, of North Adams, in the county of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Oompound for Priming Fuses to be fired by Eleotricity.

The nature of my invention consists in intimately mixing mercuric sulphide, amorphous or crystalline-preferring, however, the crystalline mercuric sulphide-with finely-divided chlorate of potassa; and the proportions which I prefer are three parts of mercuric sulphide to one part of chlorate of potassium, or thereabout. To effect intimate division I first grind each of the ingredients separately, on a slab, with a muller, moistening with alcohol; then mix them together while still moist, transfer to bibulous paper, and dry in a current of air. When dry I pass the mixture through a fine sleve.

In charging an electric-fuse with the above priming, a grain or two should be so arranged and secured that the spark of electricity or electric current shall pass through the same without dispersing it, when it instantly takes fire; this compound for a priming for electric fuses being an improvement on the compound for which a patent was granted to me November 2, 1869, No. 96,465, where a preparation of argentic sulphide, argentic phosphide and mer curic sulphide with chlorate of potassa is described, for the same purpose, by omitting the argentic sulphide, argentic phosphide, and substituting an increased proportion of mercuric sulphide, which is less costly than the expensive silver preparations, and more sensitive to the electric spark.

I claim as my invention- The composition of matter, above described,

as a priming for fuses to be fired by electricity.

GEO. M. MOWBRAY.

Witnesses:

FRED. A. FALKENBERG, HARRY MOWBRAY. 

